Are Retro Ballparks a Thing of the Past?

Twenty years ago, Oriole Park at Camden Yards began a revolution in baseball stadium design when it opened in downtown Baltimore. Two decades onward, Mark Byrnes asks if the retro ballpark movement is officially over.

1 minute read

April 2, 2012, 9:00 AM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj

When it opened in 1992, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, designed by HOK Sport, was novel in its throwback quirks. "With a 19th century warehouse for a backdrop, a pedestrian walkway that respects the pre-existing street grid, and exposed, dark green painted steel beams, Camden Yards instantly became the model for the perfect urban ballpark," notes Byrnes.

With clubs across the country clamoring for new digs after decades of moribund ballpark construction, Oriole Park's successes spawned at least a dozen imitators. Byrne sees Citi Field in New York, home to the Mets, which opened in 2009, as the last of the retro-classic ballparks.

In its place, and represented by the newest sign of changing tastes opening on Wednesday in Miami, are modern stadiums that take their design cue from contemporary trends and embrace progressive, less familiar, forms.

With the retro craze seemingly coming to a close, Byrnes presents a slide show of every new stadium to debut since 1992, many of which were strongly influenced by Camden Yards.

FULL STORY: Is the Retro Ballpark Movement Officially Over?

Friday, March 30, 2012 in The Atlantic Cities

Architecture United States Populous Baseball Stadiums Citi Field Oriole Park at Camden Yards HOK Sport View More

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Start Learning

Advertise with us

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.